1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved packaging system for storing, transporting, and dispensing wire or cable.
2. Related Art
Wire shipping and dispensing boxes are well-known. Particularly, wire and cable packaging designers have focused their efforts on providing a package that is easy to use by an installer of the wire. Thus, there has been much investigation in the art relating to techniques for solving this problem of easily dispensing the packaged wire or cable--the so-called payoff problem. Initially, the payoff problem solution was separate from the packaging. For example, for wire shipped on spools, the installer had to purchase or rent payoff equipment that allowed the spool to turn freely while the installer pulled wire through a conduit, or the like. The industry responded with the development of the so-called "knock-out" carton. The "knock-out" carton eliminated the need for separate payoff equipment, but had the undesirable tendency to allow the wire to twist during installation, causing a tangle which could not be pulled through the conduit. Others have improved upon the "knock-out" carton to eliminate the above-mentioned twisting problem; however, such designs introduced another problem--in those designs, the wire had a tendency to tangle inside the box during payoff.
An improvement over these early systems was the introduction of a so-called spool-in-a-box design. The general operation of these designs permit the spool to spin inside the box, thus negating the need for external payoff equipment. Such a package has the benefit of reducing the number of different packages stocked by a distributor or contractor. Further, the spool-in-a-box designs are flexible. The wire or cable contained therein may be paid out directly using the package itself, or, the spool may be removed from the package and placed in traditional racks or payoff equipment, if desired.
However, conventional spool-in-a-box designs are not without their drawbacks. In particular, conventional designs have employed a great variety of material in their construction, thus increasing costs, weight, and complicating recyclability. For example, one conventional design uses plastic inserts to support the spool for rotation, which are expensive, require special tooling and molding equipment, and are likely provided by a source other than the wire container supplier itself, thus requiring coordination among multiple vendors. Others in the art have further used a variety of wood, and hardboard in their designs. In addition to the foregoing deficiencies with respect to weight, cost, and recyclability, the conventional designs have also often been found lacking in performance.
Accordingly, an improved wire and cable storing and dispensing package is needed that minimizes or eliminates one or more of the problems as set forth above.